Genesis 13:10

10 Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)

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Genesis 13:10 in Other Translations

KJV

10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

ESV

10 And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)

NLT

10 Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the LORD or the beautiful land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)

MSG

10 Lot looked. He saw the whole plain of the Jordan spread out, well watered (this was before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), like God's garden, like Egypt, and stretching all the way to Zoar.

CSB

10 Lot looked out and saw that the entire Jordan Valley as far as Zoar was well-watered everywhere like the Lord's garden and the land of Egypt. This was before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

Genesis 13:10 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 13:10

And Lot lifted up his eyes
He immediately fell in with Abram's proposal, but had not the ingenuity to return back the choice to Abram which he gave him, but took the advantage of it; nor did he show any uneasiness or unwillingness to part from Abram, though so near a relation, and so wise and good a man, and by whose means greatly he had obtained his riches; but without giving himself any concern about this, he at once cast about in his mind where to make his choice; he considered within himself which was the best part of the country, and most convenient for his flocks and herds, and where he was most likely to increase his substance; for this phrase chiefly has respect to the eyes of the understanding, he made use of, consulted with himself with his rational powers what was fittest to be done; unless we can suppose him situated on some considerable eminence, from whence he could have a view of the whole country he made choice of, as follows: and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it [was] well watered every
where;
a large plain, full of rich pasturage, which had its name from the river Jordan, which by various windings and turnings ran through it, and which at harvest time overflowed its banks, and greatly contributed to the richness of the soil: before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah:
as he afterwards did by fire from heaven, and then that part of the plain on which those cities stood was turned into a sulphurous lake: [even] as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt;
as any most excellent garden that is full of plants and trees, well watered, and well cultivated, and taken care of; as things most excellent are sometimes expressed by having the name of God, or the Lord, added to them, as the "cedars of God" or as the garden of Eden, which was planted by the Lord, abounding with all kind of trees, and was well watered by a river running through it: and some think that the plain of Jordan, and the parts thereabout, were the real garden of Eden; wherefore one learned ^F23 man takes the "as" here not to be a note of similitude, but of reality, and not merely comparative but causal, giving a reason why it was so watered, being the garden God; so that the plain was not like unto, but really was the garden of Eden: and another observes ^F24, that the words should be rendered, "so was the garden of the Lord, as the land of Egypt", and that the repetition of the similitude only makes one comparison, and not two; not that the plain of Jordan is first compared with the garden of the Lord, and then with the land of Egypt; but the plain of Jordan, or garden of the Lord, is only compared with the land of Egypt; and with that undoubtedly it is compared, it being once a year overflowed by the river Jordan, as the land of Egypt was with the Nile, and was a most delightful and fruitful spot like that: as thou comest unto Zoar;
which is not to be connected with the land of Egypt, for Zoar was at a great distance from Egypt, but with the plain of Jordan, well watered everywhere till you come to Zoar, at the skirts of it, and which is by an anticipation called Zoar; for at this time, when Abram and Lot parted, it was called Bela, and afterwards, on another account, had the name of Zoar; see ( Genesis 14:2 ) ( Genesis 19:20 Genesis 19:22 ) .

FOOTNOTES:

F23 Nic. Abram. Pharus Ver. Test. p. 59.
F24 Texelii Phoenix, l. 3. c. 7. p. 262.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Genesis 13:10 In-Context

8 So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives.

9 Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”

11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company:

12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom.

Cross References 7

1. 1 Kings 7:46; 2 Chronicles 4:17
2. Numbers 13:29; Numbers 33:48
3. Genesis 2:8-10; Isaiah 51:3; Ezekiel 31:8-9
4. Genesis 46:7
5. Genesis 14:2; Genesis 19:22,30; Deuteronomy 34:3; Isaiah 15:5; Jeremiah 48:34
6. Deuteronomy 29:23; Job 39:6; Psalms 107:34; Jeremiah 4:26
7. Genesis 14:8; Genesis 19:17-29